David Mnatsakanyan '23 Recruiting Profile

Every step I have taken since I was four years old has prepared me for my adult life. Throughout those formative years, I have tailored myself to be a robust academic candidate for college, especially those institutions with equally strong athletics and academics. A community where I can continue to hone my hockey skills and pursue my passion for studying international relations is where I would thrive. I have visited many schools with great reputations throughout my amateur hockey career, and I know the school I choose will help develop me as a scholar, an athlete, and an upstanding member of my community.

The first strength I plan to bring to college is my dedication and focus. Success doesn't happen overnight. It requires consistency and hard work. There are times when I wake up at 5:00 AM to study and finish my homework because I strive to be the best I can be. However, grades have never been the sole focus of my efforts. I dedicate myself to every subject, not just because academic excellence is essential to me but because I know the more I learn then, the better I will be able to understand the world around me. In my sophomore year, my grades did not reflect my passion for those subjects. The global pandemic affected everyone terribly. For our family, the situation was bleak. My parents operate a large hospice for the Armenian community. As you can imagine, a hospice was a perilous place during the height of the pandemic. Our family had to go into total lockdown mode to continue to provide care for our patients. Ensuring the safety of my parents and our family was a priority. This situation divided my attention, which led to an academic performance that did not reflect my academic excellence and interests. Since that time, I have redoubled my efforts and have decided to push myself by taking advanced courses outside of my high school curriculum.

I look forward to pushing myself academically and mentally to be a better student and athlete. I started playing hockey when I joined the California Golden Bears at four. I went on to play for the Los Angeles Junior Kings and later joined the Anaheim Junior Ducks. My team and I won two state championships back-to-back. That was a fantastic experience because it showed me what true teamwork could accomplish. These experiences, in concert with many combines and invitationals, have been the testament to my motto in life, which is hard work pays off. This hard work translates into every aspect of my life. When I step on the ice, I know that I need to compete to the best of my ability and try my hardest because my team needs me, and we will not do well as a team if everyone is not giving it their best.

A final aspect of myself that I would like to share is my passion for volunteering and working with my community. Beyond my rigorous daily hockey training and countless study sessions, I prioritize giving back whenever I can. I enjoy volunteering with friends and family at our local church, with school clubs, and for the local Armenian community. In particular, I am delighted to say that working with my hockey team and the local Armenian community, we were able to fundraise several thousand dollars to help keep hockey teams in Ukraine operating to the best of their ability. I have many good hockey friends from Ukraine, and I am happy to know that we can make a difference, no matter how small. 

I have dedicated my life to being the best hockey player that I can be. I have realized that being the best hockey player does not just mean success on the ice. It means hard work and endless collaboration with your teammates. The best players are not just present on the ice, but they are there for their families and communities no matter what happens. The best players are not just on the ice to win, but they are there to live, experience, and push themselves to be the best they can be. I know that no matter what happens, I will always do my best.